Configurable pixel array system and method

• US 20080278610A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Boettiger, Ulrich C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/273
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/11 Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics

Abstract

Present embodiments relate to techniques for capturing images. One embodiment may include an image sensor, comprising a substrate, a first pixel cell array disposed on the substrate, a first photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the first pixel cell array, a second pixel cell array disposed on the substrate, a second photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the second pixel cell array, and an image coordination circuit configured to coordinate the first array and lens with the second array and lens to provide an image. The first pixel cell array and the first photographic lens may be configured to cooperate to capture a first image of a scene, and the second pixel cell array and the second photographic lens may be configured to cooperate to capture a second image of the scene.

Claims

1. An image sensor, comprising:

a first pixel cell array disposed on a substrate;

a first photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the first pixel cell array, wherein the first pixel cell array and the first photographic lens are configured to cooperate to capture a first image of a scene;

a second pixel cell array disposed on the substrate;

a second photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the second pixel cell array wherein the second pixel cell array and the second photographic lens are configured to cooperate to capture a second image of the scene;

an image coordination circuit configured to coordinate the first array and lens with the second array and lens to provide an image.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to sequentially activate two or more of a plurality of pixel cell arrays on the substrate.

3. The image sensor of claim 2, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to manipulate operational characteristics of the second array based on the first image.

4. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to adjust an integration time of the second array based on a brightness measure of the first image.

5. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first array is configured to detect motion.

6. The image sensor of claim 5, wherein the second array is configured to capture the second image when motion is detected via the first array, wherein the second array has a higher resolution than the first array.

7. The image sensor of claim 5, wherein the first array is configured to operate on low power and the second array is configured to operate on high power, wherein the second array is awakened from a sleep mode when the first array detects motion.

8. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first array is configured to provide the first image with a global shutter function and the second array is configured to provide the second image with a rolling shutter function.

9. The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the first array has a lower resolution than the second array.

10. The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to adjust for motion blurring in the second image based on utilization of the first image as a template.

11. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first array is configured to provide the first image with detailed dark features and the second array is configured to provide the second image with detailed bright features.

12. The image sensor of claim 11, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to combine the first and second images to provide the image with detailed bright and dark features.

13. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to adjust a gain of the second array based on a brightness measure of the first image.

14. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first array is configured to capture the first image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a first side of the scene and the second array is configured to capture the second image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a different side of the scene.

15. A method, comprising:

arranging a first photographic lens with respect to a first pixel cell array disposed on a substrate to focus light onto the first pixel cell array, wherein the first pixel cell array and the first photographic lens are configured to cooperate to provide a first image of a scene;

arranging a second photographic lens with respect to a second pixel cell array disposed on the substrate to focus light onto the second pixel cell array wherein the second pixel cell array and the second photographic lens are configured to cooperate to provide a second image of the scene; and

providing an image coordination circuit configured to coordinate the first array and lens with the second array and lens to provide an image.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the image coordination circuit is configured to manipulate operational characteristics of the second array based on the first image.

17. The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the first array is configured to capture the first image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a first side of the scene and the second array is configured to capture the second image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a different side of the scene.

18. A method, comprising:

focusing light onto a first pixel cell array of a substrate with a first photographic lens such that cooperation between the first pixel cell array and the first photographic lens provides a first image of a scene;

focusing light onto a second pixel cell array of the substrate with a second photographic lens such that cooperation between the second pixel cell array and the second photographic lens provides a second image of the scene; and

coordinating the first array and lens with the second array and lens with a coordination circuit to provide an image.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising manipulating operational characteristics of the second array based on the first image with the coordination circuit.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising adjusting an integration time of the second array based on a brightness measure of the first image.

21. The method of claim 18, comprising detecting motion with the first array.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising capturing the second image with the second array when motion is detected via the first array, wherein the second array has a higher resolution than the first array.

23. The method of claim 18, comprising operating the first array on low power and the second array on high power, wherein the second array is awakened from a sleep mode when the first array detects motion.

24. The method of claim 18, comprising adjusting for motion blurring in the second image based on utilization of the first image as a template.

25. The method of claim 18, comprising combining the first and second images to provide a modified image with detailed bright and dark features, wherein bright features are provided by the first image and dark features are provided by the second image.

26. The method of claim 18, comprising capturing the first image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a first side of the scene and capturing the second image with a rolling shutter function beginning from a different side of the scene.